I take particular pleasure in seeing the Old Blue Greenwood Corvette again. A wicked car I saw run in 1975. Man, though, as a longtime sign painter of mostly race cars, I wish these vinyl "artists" could take a few minutes to match the bloody liveries right (!).

DAY 1 REPORTClark Proctor (March 73A) leads the MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series field into the first corner at Christchurch's Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Ruapuna Park this afternoon

PROCTOR'S WINNING RUN CONTINUES IN CHRISTCHURCH

Auckland driver Clark Proctor's winning run in this season's MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series has continued on the first day of competition at the Canterbury Car Club's annual Skope Classic motor racing meeting in Christchurch.

Last Sunday the former Speedway, NZV8s and Targa front-runner who drives a 1973 model March 73A claimed a popular debut category win in the 15-lap feature final at the second NZ Festival of Motor Racing - celebrating Denny Hulme meeting at Hampton Downs.

Today he made it win number two, pipping defending series champion Steve Ross (McRae GM1) for pole position in the morning qualifying session before setting the fastest race lap on his way to a lights-to-flag win in the eight lap race.

In hot dry conditions Proctor proved the class of the 20-strong field, establishing an early buffer over a determined Ross, the pair quickly pulling away from third quickest qualifier Michael Whatley in the first of the earlier Class A cars (a Surtees TS8), Whatley's fellow Brit Greg Thornton (McRae GM1) and a trans-Tasman battle pack led by category returnee Sefton Gibb (Lola T332) from Napier and Paul Zazryn (Lola T332) and Bryan Sala (Matich A50) from Melbourne.

Ross was resolute in his pursuit of Proctor, but despite closing the gap to less than a car length at the hairpin at one stage, couldn't find a way past.

"Yes," he dead-panned after the race, "we had a few problems....the main one being the yellow car in front of us!"

For his part Proctor said his second win in as many races was as much a tribute to the tireless work his crew and family have put in since he joined the MSC series. That and the fact that a gamble he took in the red flag-interrupted qualifying session in the morning paid off.

"It (the win) is definitely a reward for the whole team. I was a bit lucky getting pole given the circumstances (Proctor only managed two full pace laps before the session was red flagged because of oil on the track) but I took a gamble that no one else would be able to better the time I set given the conditions."

He was right too, as he was about how Ross would respond in the race. "I knew Steve was going to be strong under brakes into Turn 1 because he is always really good there but fortunately for me he wasn't able to get close enough to take advantage and in the end it was a pretty easy win."

As Proctor and Ross eased away Whatley circulated quickly and cleanly in third with Thornton fourth but not really closing the gap and Sefton Gibb - making an impressive return to the series after 18 months out of his Lola T332 - fifth, Paul Zazryn and Bryan Sala vigorously disputing sixth and category young gun Alan Dunkley (Lola T140) seventh.

After fixing a gearbox problem which saw him run his other car, a Lola T300, at the second NZ Festival meeting at Hampton Downs last weekend, Whatley was back to his crowd-pleasing best in the older Surtees, explaining; "that was the best place (third) I've ever qualified in this series so I was determined not to give it up. It wasn't easy holding out (Greg Thornton) because his car has much better aero than mine so I was giving it everything I had, 100 % in some corners and 110% in others."

Sefton Gibb was having a similar run, attributing his strong pace to 'some clever little things we've done to the car over the winter,' and the fact that though it took him a while in testing to get rid of the cobwebs, come race day 'it all comes back to you pretty quickly."

Behind him his father Peter Burson (McRae GM1) eventually got the better of visiting Australian driver Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8) to close the finish line in 15th place with Rod O'Carroll, who had been able to repair damage to his Lola T140 sustained at Hampton Downs with the help of Christchurch-based F5000 specialists Motorsport Solutions Ltd, 16th and compatriot John Bryant in a similar Lola T140 18th.

Auckland driver David Banks (Talon MR1) was running strongly early on, only to be forced to pit with a flat tyre on the first lap and category original Eric Haga (Lola T190 ran low on fuel after the field were given an extra warm-up lap before the start!

Today's race was the first of three for the MSC F5000s on the programme at this year's Skope Classic meeting with two more tomorrow, another eight-lap sprint in the morning and a 15-lap feature final in the afternoon.

New MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series paceman Clark Proctor (March 73A) again proved the man to beat in the 12-NZ Express-sponsored final at the annual Skope Classic meeting in Christchurch on Sunday.

It was the second win of the weekend at the 3.33km Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Ruapuna Park circuit for the talented Auckland-based all-rounder, who claimed his debut series pole position and win at the fifth MSC series round at Auckland's Hampton Downs circuit a week before, and who only missed out on a sixth round series clean sweep at this weekend's penultimate 2012/13 series round when a brake line blew while he was leading the second race of the weekend earlier in the day.

Defending series champion Steve Ross (McRae GM1) shadowed Proctor in the red flag-interrupted qualifying session on Saturday morning and beat a slowing Proctor to the finish line in the first race of the day on Sunday morning but the lap times told the story, Proctor quickest in all three races, including the second before he was slowed by the brake problem.

After the final, however, Proctor was just as happy talking about Ross, a driver who - like fellow former series champion Ken Smith - has set the bar in the class so high.

"Steve's a good competitor, a great guy to race against and a good all round guy off the track as well. He and Kenny are the guys who have set the milestones in this class so they are the guys, when you come into the class, you aim at. Yes, the class is first and foremost about the cars but there's still an element of competitiveness amongst the drivers and Steve is a benchmark so it is really great to compete with him at this level," he said.

In hot, dry conditions in front of a large and appreciative crowd Proctor and Ross thundered away from the rolling start at the start of the feature NZ Express final side by side but Proctor was already a couple of car lengths ahead as he and Ross accelerated away from the first corner with UK-based series regular Greg Thornton slotting his ex Stu Lush McRae GM1 into third ahead of a fast-starting Russell Greer (Lola T332), Class A standout Michael Whatley (Surtees TS8) and the first of the six-strong contingent of visiting Australian drivers, Paul Zazryn (Lola T332).

That's how the order looked like it was going to stay too, until Michael Whatley pitted to check out fluctuating oil pressure (a problem quickly traced to a cracked oil tank). That elevated Greer to fourth until he was shuffled back to sixth by Paul Zazryn and compatriot Bryan Sala (Matich A50).

Behind Sala, Greer led a race-long battle for Lola supremacy initially fronted by David Abbott (Lola T430) from Sefton Gibb (Lola T332), series young gun Alan Dunkley (Lola T140) and Peter Sundberg (Lola T332 with Australian Aaron Lewis in the other Matich A50 in 11th and Talon MR1 pair Aaron Burson and David Banks disputing 12th.

Initially, Proctor and Ross pulled away from Thornton but as Ross got closer their pace slowed, allowing Thornton to pull back a couple of car lengths and enjoy the dice from the best seat in the house.

"It was brilliant," he said."Clark and Steve are both champions and to be able to watch them at such close quarters was fantastic. They both used completely different lines which of course I tried and to be honest it was wonderful just to be within a second of them. My car was fantastic too and I think we are now getting back to the point where we were in Australia (where Thornton won two of the three MSC series races at the non-championship Tasman Revival meeting in November)."

A little further back former New Zealand saloon car star Peter Sundberg (LOla T332) was having one of his best MSC series races to date following Sefton Gibb past David Abbott (Lola T430) mid race and eventually crossing the finish line in eight place.

Behind Abbott, Talon MR1 drivers Aaron Burson and David Banks remained close and Aaron's father Peter (McRae GM1) again got the better of Australian visitors Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8) and Rod Carroll (Lola T140) after the trio swapped places throughout the race.

(Race 2 8 laps Sun)

With another crack start and a healthy early margin on Steve Ross, Clark Proctor looked set to win the second race too, leading comfortable until slowing on the fourth lap with a long brake pedal, letting Ross close back up and a lap later find a way past.

"The problem," he explained afterwards,"was the clip on the brake line on the right rear caliper let go. On about the fourth lap the pedal started getting a little spongy which affected my gear changing then by about lap five the brake pedal was absolutely on the floor."

Behind Proctor, Ross and Michael Whatley the big mover was Paul Zazryn who slotted into fourth place in front of Gregory Thornton and Sefton Gibb. Behind Gibb, young gun Dunkley circulated in seventh until caught and passed by a hard-charging Bryan Sala with fellow Matich driver Aaron Lewis in ninth in front of local Lola men Russell Greer, David Abbott, Peter Sundberg and Stan Redmond.

By the third lap Greg Thornton had caught and passed Zazryn with Bryan Sala edging away from Gibb, Dunkley, Lewis and the battling duo of Greer and Abbott.

Twice Abbott got past Greer but each time Greer was able to respond and take the positioin back.

"Yes," said Greer, "one of those times I made a mistake and David got past me but then he made an even bigger one (mistake) and I was able to get the place back!"

Just ahead, Sala was edging closer to Paul Zazryn, while Greg Thornton was slowly reeling in Michael Whatley.

Neither quite managed to gain another position before the chequered flag came out but at the flag the gap between the two English drivers was just 0.134 of a second, the one between Zazryn and Sala just 0.168.

Having lost valuable set-up time with driveline issues at the two Hampton Downs rounds Sala in particular was enjoying the opportunity to dial driver and car into the track and concentrate on his lap times.

"Yesterday," he said, "we were still learning the track, now we are just fine-tuning the car to get it handling a bit better round here."

Compatriot Paul Zazryn was also proving a quick learner.

"Yes, " he said, " I'm loving it here, having a ball. I was actually quite surprised when I got up to fourth but after a couple of laps I felt I was pretty comfortable there. After Greg went past I could see Bryan coming but by that stage it was just a matter of keeping the car straight and on the Island.

Compatriot Aaron Lewis ran in ninth place until mid race when his car went off song and he slipped back down the field to 15th place."It's the (fuel) pumps," he explained afterwards."The battery won't run the pumps for long enough so the voltage drops and the fuel pressure goes down to 80 pounds and that's that. Unless I can find a battery with more grunt we'll have the same problem in the final.""Yes, " he said, " I'm loving it here, having a ball. I was actually quite surprised when I got up to fourth but after a couple of laps I felt I was pretty comfortable there. After Greg went past I could see Bryan coming but by that stage it was just a matter of keeping the car straight and on the Island.

"It's the (fuel) pumps," he explained afterwards."The battery won't run the pumps for long enough so the voltage drops and the fuel pressure goes down to 80 pounds and that's that. Unless I can find a battery with more grunt we'll have the same problem in the final."

Race 1 (8 laps Sat)

After topping the time sheets in the red flag-interrupted qualifying session on Saturday morning, Proctor won the weekend's first MSC race later in the afternoon from Ross, Whatley and Thornton. Fellow front-row starter Ross was resolute in his pursuit Proctor, but despite closing the gap to less than a car length at the hairpin at one stage, couldn't find a way past.

"Yes," he dead-panned after the race, "we had a few problems....the main one being the yellow car in front of us!"

As Proctor and Ross eased away Whatley circulated quickly and cleanly in third with Thornton fourth and Sefton Gibb - making an impressive return to the series after 18 months out of his Lola T332 - fifth, Paul Zazryn and Bryan Sala vigorously disputing sixth and category young gun Alan Dunkley seventh.

Meanwhile, after missing out on qualifying as he put his car's gearbox back together after smashing the casing on Friday Australian visitor Aaron Lewis was able to work his way from the back of the grid to 14th place by the time the chequered flag came out.

Behind Lewis, Aaron Burson's father Peter Burson (McRae GM1) eventually got the better of visiting Australian driver Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8) to cross the finish line in 15th place with Rod Carroll, who had been able to repair damage to his Lola T140 sustained at Hampton Downs with the help of Christchurch-based F5000 specialists Motorsport Solutions LTD, 16th and compatriot John Bryant in a similar Lola T140 18th.

One of the reasons that Ken Smith didn't make this weekends F-5000 race was he will be back in a Toyota Racing Series (1.8 litre wings and slicks) single seater for the NZ GP meeting at Manfield next weekend .

I believe he was at Hampton Downs with the Toyotas this past weekend testing.

Wow, what a great thread and what an absolutely great time you must be having!

Keep the reports and pictures coming if it's no trouble. I can remember devouring the Tasman F5000 series reports in Autosport and Motoring News in the early seventies - wonderful to
see some of the cars still being raced in anger.

Great Photographer Alex Mitchell and Great reporter Ross MacKay of Fast CompanyThese are the two the forum members have to thank for the reports from the F-5000 Tasman Revival. I am only posting their hard work.

Great Photographer Alex Mitchell and Great reporter Ross MacKay of Fast CompanyThese are the two the forum members have to thank for the reports from the F-5000 Tasman Revival. I am only posting their hard work.

photo: Terry Marshall

Both brilliant guys and have been doing this since the first F5000 Tasman Revival series meeting in September 2003 at Pukekohe.

Ten years of historic F5000 racing, photos and reporting of one series down under.

When Formula 5000 single-seaters first captured the imagination of Southland race fans back in the early 1970s, crowds flocked to the annual Tasman Series meeting at Teretonga in late January to watch top New Zealand drivers like Graham McRae, Graeme Lawrence and David Oxton take on their counterparts from Australia, the UK and the US.

Over 30 years later many of those same fans will be back at the circuit this weekend to watch a 16-strong MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series field repeat the exercise at the annual Evolution Motorsport Classic Speedfest meeting.

Appropriately it is again a Kiwi driver, this time defending MSC series champion Steve Ross (McRae GM1) from Dunedin, who has a healthy lead in the series points standings ahead of the Teretonga final, with series original Ken Smith (Lola T332) second and MSC series newcomer Clark Proctor (March 73A) third.

Smith, a two-time MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series champion, decided not to travel south for the Skope Classic and Evolution Motorsport Classic Speedfest rounds this season, so the battle up front this weekend will be between champion-elect Ross and Proctor, the latter worked his way into series' podium contention after claiming his first pole position at the first NZ Festival of Motor Racing meetings at Hampton Downs in January and his first MSC series race win at the second Festival meeting a week later.

Since then the former Speedway, NZV8s and Targa competitor has gone on to claim a second pole and two more race wins at the annual Skope Classic meeting in Christchurch and Steve Ross is in no doubt what he has to do this weekend.

"Keep this newcomer fellow behind us!" he grinned after doing just that in the second MSC race at the Skope meeting a fortnight ago.

Of the internationals it is the Australians who have the best record at Teretonga with Neil Allen (McLaren M10B) from Sydney winning in 1971, Kevin Bartlett (McLaren M10B), also from Sydney winning in 1972 and Max Stewart (Lola T330) from Orange winning in 1974.

This weekend three of their counterparts will be at Teretonga, Bryan Sala from Sydney driving a Matich A50 and Melbournites Paul Zazryn (Lola T332) and Bill Hemming (Elfin MR8A-C).

Sala qualified quickest and won a race - over Ken Smith and Steve Ross - at the opening round of this season's MSC series at Sydney Motorsport Park last September and with Zazryn and the three British drivers competing this weekend is a definite podium prospect.

British driver Allan Rollinson won the 1973 Teretonga race in a McRae GM1 so it is again, entirely appropriate, that one of the trio on Brits competing this weekend, Greg Thornton, also drives a GM1. He and compatriots Michael Whatley (Surtees TS8) and Monaco-based Peter Dunn (March 73A) have all run strongly at earlier MSC rounds this season with Thornton winning two of the three races at the non-championship round in Sydney in November.

Whatley, meanwhile, is one of the quickest drivers of earlier Class A cars, qualifying third and finishing third in two of the three MSC races at the Skope Classic meeting.

Finally, Sam Posey (Surtees TS11) was one of a small number of American drivers who ventured to New Zealand and Australia to contest the Tasman Series back in the early 1970s, his best finish at Teretonga second to Allan Rollinson in 1973.

This weekend his legacy will be celebrated by 71-year-old Eric Haga, a category original from Seattle who is not only still competing in historic Formula 5000 races here and in the United States, he is doing so in the same car (a Lola T190) he used first time around!

Set to join Ross and Proctor in taking on the visiting drivers are David Banks (Talon MR1), Andrew Higgins (Lola T400) and Peter Sundberg (Lola T332) from Auckland, Russell Greer (who drives the ex-Graeme Lawrence Lola T332 which won at Teretonga in 1976) from Blenheim and Lindsay O'Donnell (Begg FM5) and Stan Redmond (Lola T333CS) from Christchurch.

O'Donnell's Begg FM5 is another with a strong local pedigree being the car campaigned by Drummond man Allan McCully with a best finish at Teretonga of sixth in 1974.

Also joining the MSC field this weekend is Christchurch man Phil Mauger who owns and drives the ex-Denny Hulme McLaren M23 Formula 1 car.

There are three MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series races on the programme at the Evolution Motorsport Classic Speedfest meeting with qualifying on Saturday morning and an eight-lap race in the afternoon before a second eight-lap race on Sunday morning and a 12-lap final (all with rolling starts) in the afternoon.

The MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series is organized and run with the support of sponsors MSC, NZ Express Transport, Bonney's Specialized Bulk Transport, Mobil Lubricants, Pacifica, Avon Tyres and Exide.

Andrew Higgins (Lola T400) is the latest MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series race winner, the young second-generation racer from Auckland getting the better of both recent series paceman Clark Proctor (March 73A)and defending series champion Steve Ross (McRae GM1) in the first race of the weekend at the final round of the 2012/13 series at the annual Evolution Motorsport Classic Speedfest meeting at Invercargill's Teretonga Park today.

After showing pace but being hobbled by mechanical problems at the penultimate round of the 2012/13 MSC series at the Skope Classic meeting in Christchurch a fortnight ago, Higgins - eldest son of New Zealand Porsche series stalwart Paul Higgins - could hardly have had a better start to the final series round this weekend, pipping 2012/13 series champion-elect Ross for pole position in the qualifying session in the morning then pulling away from both Ross and Proctor in the race.

Having been the only other driver - with Higgins - to break the 55 second barrier in the qualifying season, a determined Steve Ross got a jump on both Higgins and Proctor off the rolling start but Higgins was back in front before the end of the first lap.

It took Proctor a little longer - until near the end of the eight lap race in fact - but persistence eventually paif off and he too found a way past Ross, crossing the finish line in second place.

Behind Higgins, Proctor and Ross, British driver Michael Whatley (Surtees TS8) was the first of the visiting internationals home in fourth place with compatriot Greg Thornton (McRae GM1) and Australian Paul Zazryn (Lola T332) fifth and sixth respectively.

Monaco-based Brit Peter Dunn (March 73A) was next home three second back in seventh with Australian Bryan Sala eighth, David Banks - who recovered from a spin exiting the last corner on the last lap - ninth and former series champion Ian Clements driving fellow Christchurch man Lindsay O'Donnell's Begg FM5 tenth, the field rounded out by series guest Phil Mauger driving the ex Denny Hulme McLaren M23 Formula 1 car and Australian Bill Hemming in his Australian-made Elfin MR8A-C.

On Friday a serious accident in testing claimed two cars, sending the driver of one Stan Redmond to hospital in very serious condition and leaving the other unable to repair the damage in time.

The MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series is organized and run with the support of sponsors MSC, NZ Express Transport, Bonney's Specialized Bulk Transport, Mobil Lubricants, Pacifica, Avon Tyres and Exide

In a meeting which saw three different MSC class race winners - pole-setter Andrew Higgins (Lola T400) in the first, Ross in the second and eventual round winner Clark Proctor (March 73A) in the third - Ross ended the season with 649 points, 156 more than the fast-finishing Clark Proctor (493) and 225 more than third placed David Banks (Talon MR1).

A serious accident involving Stan Redmond an MSC series competitor (see http://www.stuff.co....-serious-crash) on Friday afternoon was not the start that competitors in the popular New Zealand-based Tasman Cup Revival series wanted but the action on the track on Saturday and Sunday was first rate.

Sunday's 12-lap series final was a cracker, Clark Proctor taking the win from poleman Andrew Higgins and visiting Australian driver Bryan Sala (Matich A50). Higgins and fellow front row starter Proctor were neck and neck off the rolling start but as the field thundered down to the circuit's famous Loop corner at the end of the start/finish straight Proctor was in front with third place starter Ross tucked in behind him and Higgins on the outside in third.

Higgins was not prepared to lose two places though and passed Ross round the outside - in a move made famous by New Zealand Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon - of the Loop, slotting Ross back to third, where the Dunedin man stayed until three laps later when he spun on oil.

That allowed a fast-starting Sala to inherit third which he held to the line with Greg Thornton (McRae GM1) fourth, ahead of Paul Zazryn (Lola T332), Steve Ross who was able to re-start and get back onto the track without damage, and Michael Whatley (Surtees TS8).

With a win in the final race and second places in the shorter eight lap races on Saturday and Sunday, it was Proctor who was the overall round winner from Andrew Higgins, Steve Ross and Greg Thornton. The latter spent the race hounding Paul Zazryn, finally finding a way past to claim fourth on the last lap.

As well as winning the round, Proctor also set a new category track record on his way to second place in the second weekend race on Saturday morning, leaving it at 54.478 seconds.

Proctor joined the MSC F5000 series last season after starting his competitive driving career in Speedway then moving to Targa events and the NZV8 tin-tops series and says he has thoroughly enjoyed his better-late-than-never introduction to single-seaters via the MSC series.

"I'm really happy with the way the weekend has gone both with the car, which we managed to improve as we went, and with cementing ourselves as part of the MSC F5000 family."

Despite being a little frustrated that the oil flags went out after he spun Steve Ross was also very happy with the way the event - and season - panned out.

"The three of us have been pushing hard all weekend so it's been a good way to finish off the season. Obviously, the plan to win all three races didn't come off but we've got the title again so we can't complain about that."

Race 2 (Sunday 8 laps)

For sheer pace and wheel-to-wheel action the second race of the weekend on Sunday morning would take some beating, Higgins again on pole with Ross beside him and Clark Proctor on P3.

Ross got the jump on Higgins off the rolling start with Proctor tucking in behind. Higgins and Proctor then disputed second place with Higgins getting past early on but Clark returning the favour and setting the new class lap record as he kept Higgins behind. Behind the leading trio Greg Thornton drove a lonely race in fourth as Michael Whatley and Paul Zazryn spent the race disputing fifth with David Banks enjoying another strong run in seventh as he led Peter Dunn (March 73A) and Bryan Sala (Matich A50.

Andrew Higgins (Lola T400 #10) won the first race of the weekend and ended up second overall for the round.

Race 1 (Sat 8 laps) After pipping both Ross and Proctor in qualifying in the morning Andrew Higgins won the weekend's first MSC race from Ross and Proctor. A fast-starting Ross actually got the jump on both Higgins and Proctor off the rolling start but Higgins was back in front before the end of the first lap.

As it turned out Proctor also - eventually - found a way past Ross, crossing the finish line in second place.

Behind Higgins, Proctor and Ross, Michael Whatley was the first of the visiting internationals home in fourth place with compatriot Greg Thornton and Australian Paul Zazryn fifth and sixth respectively.

Monaco-based Brit Peter Dunn was next home three seconds back in seventh with Bryan Sala eighth, David Banks - who recovered from a spin exiting the last corner on the last lap - ninth and former series champion Ian Clements driving fellow Christchurch man Lindsay O'Donnell's Begg FM5 tenth, the field rounded out by series guest Phil Mauger driving the ex Denny Hulme McLaren M23 Formula 1 car and Australian Bill Hemming in his Australian-made Elfin MR8A-C.

The MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series is organized and run with the support of sponsors MSC, NZ Express Transport, Bonney's Specialized Bulk Transport, Mobil Lubricants, Pacifica, Avon Tyres and Exide

F5000 driver Stan Redmond dies in Dunedin hospitalThursday 21st February, 2013 5:27pmAuthor: SpeedCafeStan Redmond dies in hospitalPopular F5000 driver Stan Redmond has lost his fight for life after the horrific two-car crash at Teretonga Park last weekend.Mr Redmond, 65, was competing in the final round of the MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series when the accident occurred during practice. It is believed Mr Redmond had been driving a Lola T332.Details have been difficult to obtain, with his family choosing not to release any information publicly since he was airlifted to Dunedin hospital where he remained until his death today. He had suffered a serious head injury and other internal injuries.Messages began streaming onto social network pages after the tragic news about the Christchurch driver spread.Australia’s former F5000 driver and touring car racer Kevin Bartlett wrote on the F5000 fan page: “RIP Stan, another taken doing what he loved.”

MotorsportNZ issued a brief statement the night after the accident saying that it was ‘conducting its own enquiry and investigation into the incident.”The F5000 series are yet to make an official statement about the loss of Mr Redmond.Mr Redmond had campaigned F5000 cars since the 1990’s and among his best results was a second place in a Brands Hatch event in England in 2008.He had mixed his passion for F5000 machines with racing Formula Fords and Formula Holdens

New Zealand's world-class MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series might never have got off the ground had it not been for the contribution of founder member Stan Redmond who died yesterday (Thursday February 21) in Dunedin Hospital.

Redmond, 65, from Christchurch, sustained serious head and upper body injuries after tangling with another car and hitting the safety barriers in a test session at Invercargill's Teretonga Park Raceway last Friday (February 15).

He was air-lifted to Dunedin Hospital (site of the South Island's specialist head injury unit) that evening and was listed in a serious but stable condition until his death.

Redmond's first successes were in business where he built Christchurch-based Flexoplas Packaging Ltd into a leading New Zealand supplier of plain and printed plastic bags and films. He applied the same passion and commitment to his racing and without him, says long-time friend and collaborator John Crawford, there might not have been an MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series.

"He was start of it, the catalyst, if you like," says Crawford, a former New Zealand Formula Ford champion whose Christchurch-based business, Motorsport Solutions Ltd, has developed an international reputation re-building and maintaining the stock-block V8-engined Formula 5000 single-seater racing cars Redmond had such a passion for. "This was at least 15 years ago now and at the time there were probably only one or two F5000 cars in New Zealand. Stan bought one of them and got to me to drive it at a couple of the Skope Classic meetings."

Interest in that car led to fellow Christchurch men Ian Clements and Murray Sinclair buying cars of their own and when there were enough cars to make up a decent grid the Formula 5000 Association was set up as part of the Historic Racing Club to run what became the Tasman Cup Revival Series.

Redmond was one of 11 members of the association who travelled to Pukekohe Park Raceway for the inaugural series' race over the September 20/21 weekend in 2003 and spokesman David Abbott says his legion of fellow competitors and friends up and down the pit lane are still trying to come to terms with his death.

"Our thoughts right now, obviously, are with Stan's wife and family. Stan was more than just a fellow competitor in our very tight-knit little group of the Formula 5000 Association. He was a friend, a mentor, someone who would always go out of his way to help and never expect anything in return. His generosity was legendary and it will be a very different world without him, that's for sure."

Prepared by FAST COMPANY of behalf of the New Zealand Formula 5000 Association www.F5000.co.nz For more information about the 2012/13 MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series contact Ross MacKay on 021 677 919 or via e-mail on ross@fastcompany.co.nz

Really sad news - I had not realised just how foundational Stan had been to the beginnings of the F5000 revival. He of course had a black & yellow McRae GM1 to start with (not sure who now owns that car?) and he then had at least one, maybe more T332's, and the T333 which, if I'm correct, was converted back to openwheeler from CanAm / fullbodied spec. I'm not sure if it was period, but he ran a lovely exhaust arrangement in recent years with the main pipes from each bank coming together behind the gearbox (can be seen in photo in post 86) - it produced a lovely, higher pitched tone - almost a wail - quite different to the rest of the field. Obviously a man of passions - thanks for all you gave us Stan.